Cllr Leigh elected cathaoirleach in Athy
The Athy Municipal District Committee appointed cllr Mark Leigh as Cathaoirleach and cllr Brian Dooley as Leas-Chathaoirleach
Labour Party councillor Mark Leigh has been appointed as the new Cathaoirleach for the Athy Municipal District.
His appointment was announced at the Municipal District’s annual meeting on Monday, with Fianna Fáil councillor Brian Dooley taking up the position of Leas-Chathaoirleach.
Cllr Leigh succeeds cllr Ivan Keatley in the role, while cllr Dooley replaces cllr Leigh as Leas-Chathaoirleach.
Cllr Aoife Breslin proposed her party colleague cllr Leigh for the role and praised his sense of “community spirit” and his “social justice work”. She said that he had “big shoes to fill” in 2020 when he was co-opted to replace Deputy Mark Wall after he was elected to the Seanad.
The Kildare South TD was in attendance in the chamber at Áras Chill Dara to see his colleague take on the most senior political role in the Municipal District.
Cllr Brian Dooley seconded the proposal and praised cllr Leigh’s work ethic, while cllr Veralouise Behan commended his “class and energy”.
Cllr Leigh paid tribute to outgoing Cathaoirleach Ivan Keatley for an “outstanding year” in office. The two were National School classmates in Crookstown as children, with cllr Keatley quipping that their teacher would not have predicted their futures as public representatives.
Cllr Keatley said it had been a “huge honour” to serve as Cathaoirleach for the last 12 months and highlighted the reopening of Emily Square and opening of the Shackleton Experience as standout moments from his time in the role. Brian Dooley praised him for his fairness and for “always being on the end of the phone”.
Cllr Leigh described himself as an “accidental politician” in his speech, having joined the Athy branch of Labour in 2014. He said that he was “very humbled and honoured” to be Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District.
